


been waiting for somebody else to carry me

by ElasticElla



Category: Arrested Development
Genre: F/F, Open Marriage, Season/Series 01, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-01 04:26:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20252158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElasticElla/pseuds/ElasticElla
Summary: Michael won’t quit criticizing her charity efforts, him and G.O.B. obviously trying to upstage her with their Marta drama. Marta, who is clearly too beautiful for either of her brothers, much less both, and in desperate need of some female companionship.Lindsay could cackle at the plan forming- this time,she’sgoing to come out on top.





	been waiting for somebody else to carry me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [firstlovelatespring](https://archiveofourown.org/users/firstlovelatespring/gifts).

> title from p!atd's say amen
> 
> hope you enjoy!

Lindsay is sick of her family. 

Maeby keeps insisting on picking the opposite of any side she’s on- regardless of whatever it is about. It’d be heartwarming if she were properly applying her teen angst, like towards her grandmother. (Lindsay _will_ find a way to trick Maeby into calling her grandmother rather than ‘Nana’ one of these days. Make her feel every one of those ancient judgy years.)

And Tobias. Ugh. It’s bad enough that he’s making her want to go back on their spite decreed marriage- as if she would ever give her parents the satisfaction- but now he wants to stop being a never nude. Next he’ll want sincere affection or to close their marriage or respect- the horror. 

Michael won’t quit criticizing her charity efforts, him and G.O.B. obviously trying to upstage her with their Marta drama. Marta, who is clearly too beautiful for either of her brothers, much less both, and in desperate need of some female companionship. 

Lindsay could cackle at the plan forming- this time, _she’s_ going to come out on top. 

.

She runs into Marta at the coffee shop near her set. Lindsay has her premium jogging gear on, all sleek black and pink. It’s sexy and eye-catching enough that it’d be a crime to get a drop of sweat on it. (Not to mention the outfit _may_ still have tags attached and tucked in; Michael trying to be as withholding as their mother, won’t let her touch the company funds.)

“Marta! I was just thinking about you, what are the chances?” 

Her eyes are wide, smile frail, but only because she doesn’t know yet that Lindsay’s here to make her week- no her _year_. (She’s good with her hands, a carefully guarded secret to avoid house work.)

“Hi, how are you?” Marta asks, gathering her things. Lindsay doesn’t let it deter her, slipping an arm through hers. 

“I’ve decided to give acting another go, and if someone of your caliber could give me lessons, I just know I’ll succeed this time! It’s been an old dream of mine, of course I would pay for your time, and anything to help my daughter’s future-” 

Lindsay’s lips curl up as she sees Marta soften, has her now. “You um, you do know your brother and I broke up right?” 

Lindsay swallows down an amused _which one_, patting her arm, “His loss. I’d hate for my brother’s foolishness to mean the end of our budding friendship.” 

Her mouth quirks into a small smile, and she says, “I’m booked this week, but perhaps next Saturday?” 

“Perfect.”

Marta doesn’t even question Lindsay going into a coffee shop after running and not buying anything. It’s like the universe _wants_ this to happen. 

(Well, it’s perfect once she moves her salon appointment to Wednesday and tells Maeby to go shopping with her father. Serves the brat right for her latest anti-pizza movement.)

.

Lindsay isn’t a good actress. It’s a harsh truth, but one dear mother made sure she knew well by age eight. She’s traditionally attractive and white, can land a thousand cheap commercials. But the whole deep feelings and nuance nonsense? She doesn’t have the patience for it, never has. A pity really, considering how well made she is for fame- would make an excellent celebrity. 

She expects Saturday to go like a trashy beach bodice ripper. She’ll do horribly, and Marta will get exasperated, angry words exchanged until they’re breathing too hard and too close, and then the tension will snap and they’ll make out like crazy. 

With this in mind, Lindsay spends more time picking out lingerie and lipstick that matches _just_ right than practicing her lines. (It’s an alien. How hard can it be?) She sets out a skimpy black dress and tights, can totally still pull off the hot art grad student look. Lindsay is gonna seduce Marta so hard she comes home with a diamond and all her brothers will finally declare her superior. Or cry. She’s willing to take any flavor of victory. 

Saturday is nothing like that. 

Marta’s too patient to get mad when Lindsay doesn’t immediately improve, and really, she should have considered that possibility- she did put up with her brothers far longer than is recommended. Poor woman should be entitled to some formal compensation.

“I don’t understand how you do it,” Lindsay says, collapsing on the couch. It’s been a long grueling afternoon of work, and somehow Marta is still bright and perky and convincing as Space Alien #2. 

She’s so beautiful and talented, it isn’t fair. 

Marta laughs stiltedly, Lindsay realizing late that she thought out loud. She’s even prettier when she laughs, looks like a perfume ad, all enchanting and enticing. (This time she keeps the thought to herself, a pit growing in her stomach. _She_ isn’t supposed to be the one caught up, she’s supposed to be doing the seducing dammit.) 

“Maybe try a human role first?”

Lindsay wets her lips, “Alright.” 

It’s tempting to continue lazing about on the couch and say she’s a modern character that reviews television shows all day long. That’s art there. Very meta. 

But Marta is looking adorable and expectant, so Lindsay stands up, flipping her hair back. 

Walking up to her, she says, “Well hello there, I haven’t seen you at this bar before.” 

To her credit, Marta doesn’t laugh, though her eyes are dancing. “I don’t usually drink.” 

“And what makes today the lucky day?” 

She sighs, twirls around an invisible straw. “Divorce papers.” 

Lindsay whistles, drags her eyes down and back up her form. “Even luckier for me.” 

Marta laughs easy, shaking her head. “And who was that supposed to be?” 

She takes a half-step closer, keeping their eyes locked. Close enough to feel Marta’s body heat, close enough that she could extend a hand and touch her, heartbeat racing faster. 

“Me, if I met you another way.” 

“Oh,” it slips past her lips, eyes wide. Biting her lip, she murmurs, “But you didn’t.” 

“No, I didn’t.” 

Marta’s eyes flick down to her lips, Lindsay’s stomach is flipping, and up again. They’re closer somehow, and she doesn’t know who to blame or thank, just knows that Marta isn’t backing away. 

Lindsay leans in the final breath, kisses her until Marta’s lips shine red with smeared lipstick. 

.

It’s nearly a month before she lets Marta anywhere near her family, likes her far more than she anticipated. Tragically her brothers are not crushed by the realization that she is the supreme lover between them. Her acting career has surprisingly taken off, though she can admit playing a pampered housewife isn’t that much of a stretch.

She’s happy. They both are. 

(Even Maeby likes her.)


End file.
